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fter 17 long years, international cricket is finally returning to the historic Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, where Pakistan and South Africa will face off in a three-match One Day International series, starting Tuesday, November 4.
Iqbal Stadium, one of Pakistan’s most iconic cricket venues, hosted 24 Test matches and 12 One Day International matches, from 1978 to 2008. The ground holds countless memories, for cricket fans and legends alike.
The first Test match at the stadium, then known as Lyallpur Stadium, was played between Pakistan and India in October 1978. The most recent test, also between the same rivals, took place in January 2006. The first ODI at the Iqbal Stadium was played between Pakistan and New Zealand in November 1984. The last ODI match was held in April 2008 when Pakistan played against Bangladesh.
One of the most memorable matches at the venue came in 1979, when Australia toured Pakistan. Fast bowler Dennis Lillie, frustrated by the unresponsive pitch, famously quipped:
“When I die, I want to be buried here—because nothing ever happens on this pitch!”
That match was also memorable for wicket-keeper Taslim Arif, who batted for two days to score 210 runs and kept wickets for the rest of the time.
Another unforgettable encounter took place in 1986, when Pakistan stunned the then- invincible looking West Indies team, with brilliant performances by Saleem Malik and Abdul Qadir. Saleem Malik, hit by a sharp bouncer that caused a forearm fracture, returned to bat one-handed, spending 41 minutes at the crease and adding 32 runs for the last wicket with Wasim Akram before Abdul Qadir produced a spellbinding performance, taking six wickets for 16 runs.
The stadium also witnessed one of cricket’s most infamous controversies; the 1987 clash between England captain Mike Gatting and Pakistani umpire Shakoor Rana. A heated on-field argument over a field change led to a halt of play and the match was abandoned the following day, marking one of the lowest points in cricket diplomacy.
In December 1998, Iqbal Stadium made headlines again for another reason. During a Test match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe, heavy fog enveloped the ground for four consecutive days, forcing the umpires to call off the match on the fifth day without a single ball being bowled. Zimbabwe had already won in Peshawar and drawn the match in Lahore. The abandoned Faisalabad Test handed them their first-ever Test series victory overseas.
According to caretaker Naveed Nazir, the Iqbal Stadium was constructed in 1965-66. It was then named Lyallpur Stadium. Later, it was renamed International Stadium and eventually Iqbal Stadium.
“In 1978, the first Test match between Pakistan and India was played here. Before that, only three-day matches used to be played here,” he recalled.
Naveed Nazir said that, at the time of the first Test match, there were no stands or proper seating for spectators. “The audience used to sit on wooden planks arranged in a concentric formation, around the pitch and the ground. It looked like a circus.”
“Gradually, below the stands were built. The stadium was completed in five or six phases. In 2005, the Pakistan Cricket Board installed floodlights, making it possible to host day-night matches. In 2011, an electronic scoreboard was added,” said the caretaker.
After the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore on March 3, 2009, the upgrade and maintenance of Iqbal Stadium also came to a standstill.
17 years later, proper seating arrangements for the spectators are still missing. This forces fans to sit on bare concrete steps during matches. Moreover, the stands have no roofs to protect spectators from sun, rain or cold.
Iqbal Stadium, despite being an international cricket venue, is not managed by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the Punjab Sports Board or the provincial government. Instead, it is operated by the Iqbal Stadium Management Committee, chaired by the deputy commissioner. The committee has 20 members, eight of whom are government officials.
When TNS submitted a request under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013, seeking details of the stadium’s income and expenditures, the ISMC refused to provide the information, claiming that the stadium was leased from the Punjab government for 99 years and that it was a non-public body, hence not subject to the RTI law.
After the Punjab Information Commission rejected this argument, partial data was shared, revealing that the stadium generates annual revenue exceeding Rs 63 million and the expenditures amount to Rs 30.9 million. The committee continues to delay the release of further details, including its annual audit report.
The stadium premises include over 100 shops and offices, as well as restaurants, a food court and recreational areas such as Funland and Sindbad Wonderland, covering a total of 36 kanals and 15 marlas. The revenue generated from these commercial activities goes into the ISMC’s account.
The rental income declared by ISMC is far below market rates. Given the stadium’s prime location in Faisalabad’s upscale area, the actual market value of its shops and offices, even if a conservative estimation is made, should be significantly higher.
According to Muhammad Riaz, a property dealer from Civil Lines, “Getting a shop or office in the stadium depends more on personal connections with the administration than on rent. Many tenants have allegedly secured space through bribes or recommendations.”
An employee working at the stadium, requesting anonymity, admitted that there were irregularities. He said that the caretaker had allotted several shops and offices at minimal rent or even free of cost to his friends and relatives. He also claimed that the caretaker personally benefitted from the rental income of other commercial properties in the stadium.
Former secretary of the Faisalabad Cricket Association and president of the Railway Cricket Club, Tariq Farid, said that while he was pleased to see international cricket returning to Faisalabad after 17 years, he regretted that the substantial revenue generated from the Iqbal Stadium had not been spent on its upkeep and maintenance.
“One of the main reasons international matches have not been held in Faisalabad for such a long time is because no upgrades have been made to the stadium. The facilities do not meet international standards,” he said.
Commenting on the lack of basic amenities for spectators, Farid added, “Even now, we haven’t managed to install complete seating or roofing. The stadium needs to be properly renovated and upgraded. Basic facilities are missing. There isn’t even drinking water available inside.”
Documents obtained under the RTI Act reveal that during the Champions Cup 2024, held at Iqbal Stadium in September last year, the Iqbal Stadium Management Committee did not spend a single rupee on the event. Instead, vendors selling food and beverages inside the stadium were allowed to overcharge spectators, generating hundreds of thousands of rupees in additional profit.
While the Pakistan Cricket Board made more than Rs 15 million in gate money alone from the event, not a single rupee was allocated for the stadium’s improvement. Even the Rs 35 million spent on security arrangements for the tournament and participating teams was paid by the Punjab government.
Are the ISMC and the PCB primarily interested in extracting revenue from Iqbal Stadium instead of improving it? PCB officials claim that they have held multiple meetings with district administration and the ISMC regarding the stadium’s upgrade, but they refuse to hand over control of the venue to the PCB. They said this was why the PCB was unable to invest funds into maintenance of the stadium or make any improvements.
Caretaker Naveed Nazir says, “The stadium does not belong to the PCB. They have been requesting it since 2006, but the district administration is not willing to hand it over.”
Local cricket clubs registered with the PCB are not allowed to use the ground for matches unless they pay hefty fees. Meanwhile private companies and organisations are allowed to hold commercial and entertainment events. The district administration itself has been using the ground to host spring festivals, kabaddi matches and other events.
Former first-class cricketer Muhammad Salman says that the cricketing culture of the city had suffered due to prolonged absence of international matches and inadequate facilities for local cricket clubs. “It [cricket] has been facing a steady decline. It’s truly unfortunate.”
“Whenever a cricket tournament is held here, Iqbal Stadium fills up with passionate fans. The city loves cricket and has produced some of Pakistan’s finest players,” he says.
He says Iqbal Stadium must be placed under the control of either the Punjab Sports Board or the PCB. “Only then can the revenue generated here be used for the stadium’s development and the promotion of cricket at the grassroots level, rather than going into private pockets.”
The return of international cricket matches offers an opportunity to celebrate the city’s rich cricketing legacy. Unless the authorities ensure financial accountability, transparency and reinvestment of revenues into the stadium’s development, the return of cricket may prove little more than a temporary spectacle.
The writer has been associated with journalism for the past decade. He tweetsnaeemahmad876